Fight Depression– Naturally

Over 18 million Americans suffer from clinical depression and 28 million take anti-depressant drugs or anxiety medication. Psychotherapist Julia Ross calls this a “bad mood epidemic.” She suggests there are true emotions and false moods triggered by poor nutrition. Author of the book The Mood Cure, she says there are four mood engines in our brain and each needs a different amino acid fuel.

The four emotion-generators in your brain are actually called neurotransmitters. Each one powers a different emotional zone in your brain and each has a distinctly different effect on your mood:

The Dark Cloud of Depression
If you’re high in serotonin– you’re positive, confident, flexible, and easy-going.
If you’re sinking in serotonin– you’ll tend to become negative, obsessive, worried, irritable, and sleepless.

The Blahs
If you’re high in catecholamines– you’re energized, upbeat, and alert.
If your catecholamines have crashed– you’ll sink into a flat apathetic funk.

Anxiety and Stress
If you’re high in GABA– you’re relaxed and stress-free.
If there’s a gap in your GABA– you’ll be wired, stressed, and overwhelmed.

Oversensitive Feelings
If you’re high in endorphins– you’re full of cozy feelings of comfort, pleasure and euphoria.
If you’re near the end of your endorphins– you’ll be crying during commercials and overly sensitive to hurt.

On her site, The Mood Cure, you’ll find a questionnaire to help you decide your mood type and suggestions for diet changes.

Under Frequently Asked Questions, she discusses Seasonal Affective Disorder where “We can literally slip into the emotional shadows.” In this section you’ll find safe suggestions for boosting the serotonin our brains need during this winter blues season without forcing, “a brief serotonin boost, using sweet and starchy carbohydrates, alcohol, or drugs.”

Depression is a serious problem for many. If you are one of the many, you’re probably looking for answers. If you think a diet change might help you out of that dark cloud of depression, dig through The Mood Cure site then discuss it with your therapist.